The Blood
by UnluckyAmulet
Summary: Starfire, the ex-princess of Tamaran. Blackfire, the banished sister. But you can't sever family ties so easily. ANGST.


Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans!

This fic is ANGSTY, as a heads up. Actually, I was in kind of a pissy mood when I wrote this. Go figure.

I kind of got inspiration for this when I was reading a Star/Blackfire profile, and it said on it that "Starfire no longer considers Blackfire a sister" and that actually annoyed me, because I was like, "Um, you can't just _dump_ your own sister just because she's bad." It just didn't seem very Starfire-ish to me.

Also, Teen Titans is highest (so far) on my poll for a oneshot...I have the sneaking suspicion it's because people want another Owner's Guide and Manual, but I really don't feel like writing one. So, you get Starfire angst! Takes places after the events of 'Betrothed'.

That being said, enjoy!

* * *

The bathroom door slid shut with a slow, quiet whooshing sound. Everything was silent in Titans Tower.

Starfire padded softly across the tiled room. A tap dripped from somewhere afar- probably the kitchen.

In one hand, Starfire held a pair of scissors. She scrubbed them hard- Hard, to get rid of the red stains left over from when Cyborg used them to cut up meat at dinner. The dark red stains on the blades made her feel nauseous.

Starfire took a deep, shuddering breath. The silence seemed to be waiting for her to do something- to hurry, possibly.

The alien approached the sink, which was clean, cold and shone dimly. Something hot stirred in the back of her throat; her stomach twisted a little. The redhead ignored her insides squirming. Instead, she fixed her acid green gaze at the mirror, which is sleek and cold as everything else in the bathroom.  
For a moment, Starfire allowed the similar white-hot energy to gather behind her eyes, so that her eyes shine out in the darkness for a moment. The bright green light looks misplaced in the bathroom. In fact, so does the rest of her. Bright red hair, emerald eyes, skin that is naturally fake looking. An alien.

Starfire felt a surge at this, and a small sound escaped her throat.

Lifting up the scissors, Starfire watched her reflection copy the slow, deliberate movement. Then the blades flashed, and a few thick, scarlet strands were severed, drifting to the floor. It's not particularly noticeable- in fact, if she simply pushed it back over her shoulder; you probably wouldn't see it at all. Which is why Starfire grabbed another and slashed at them. Once she had started, it seemed she couldn't stop.

Snipsnipsnip-

Red hair fell around the floor and sink like copper filings. Starfire stared at her self in the mirror, the scissors flashing. Questions danced around her brain, being answered with hard, cold truths.

Why do I feel so guilty?  
_  
Because it is your fault._

Why did Blackfire try to hurt me?

_Because you were a bad sister._

Why was I so jealous?

_Because you are selfish. You wanted Earth all to yourself, correct?_

"No..." murmured Starfire, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. While she can no longer feel the warm weight of her hair, she feels hot. Tears gather in her eyes. The voice doesn't let up. The truth bites at her in a cold, angry, sneering voice.

_Stupid, pathetic girl. What gives you the right to cry? You banished your own sister. She could be dead for all you know. And yet here you are, safe, with friends to protect you. Everyone thinks you're so helpless. Who will help _her_ now? What does Blackfire have to do to survive? What do those aliens out there make her do?_

_Do you even care?_

"Stop..." Starfire moaned, weakly, grasping the sink to stop herself falling to her knees, feeling as though her energy was slowly being drained from her. "Stop..."

_No wonder you ran from Tamaran. You, a ruler? You can't save your world. You can't save your sister. You even put your friends in danger!_Starfire's fists shook as she pulled herself upright, her back aching. She forced herself to look back at the mirror. A stab of something close to hatred went through her at that moment. Directed at the girl, the girl who stared at her from the mirror.

This girl with acid green eyes

the ragged magenta hair

and the blood.

And the girl smiled. She smiled, and it looked just like a red-eyed demon, the demon that frightened Starfire the most.

That was why she punched the mirror, then.

But Star had forgotten just how hard she could punch. The wall let out a roar of protest as Starfire's small hand went slamming straight through the glass, the wood behind that, then the wall. The night sky looks back through the hole she made.

But most importantly, she had chased the demon away. For now. The demon who looked just like her, but acted so much like-

_"I always WAS the better fighter."_

Blood criss-crossed its way around Starfire's fist. Glass flew in all directions, sparkling like crystals as they spin in the air, almost in slow motion before they fall to the floor and shatter into tinier pieces.

Looking down, the smirk was back. Thousands of tiny, hateful smiles, all looking back at Starfire. Watching her.

Starfire grabbed at what was left of her hair and let out a howl and some of the nightmare that had hunted her since her wedding day. Since she ran away from her people, the last of the bloodline to be seen on Tamaran. Starfire had always been the weak link. Now, there wasn't even a chain.

Just two sisters, lost in space.

Thudthudthud.

A banging on the door.

"Star? Are you okay?"

"Yes!" Starfire called back, praying they leave. There's a pause, then footsteps. Whether it's to wake the rest of the titans or go back to bed, she doesn't know. It doesn't matter.

Crouching down, the princess picked up the biggest shard of the mirror. The edge of it slices the pad of her index finger, causing the familiar liquid to well up in the shape of a tear.

Putting a hand to her face, Star lets the tear fall. It's quickly accompanied by several others. The tears and blood gather together, forming an inky puddle on the floor, making the tiles gleam.

Starfire put her hand to her face; her eyes sliding shut as she conjured up her sister's face in her mind. Eyes the colour of storm clouds, ebony waterfall of hair.

Blood the colour of sapphires.

Starfire's blood.

The alien almost smiles. The Royal Family vanished from Tamaran without a trace, but the noble blood still pulses through both of them, tying them to their lineage.

The grey face appears in the mirror again, and this time, Starfire looks back.

Somewhere, the tap is still dripping.

* * *

Also, congrats if you've worked out who/what the 'demon' Starfire was referring to is. That grey review box over there? I like getting those!


End file.
